Potential
by brighttYELLOW
Summary: Most Potential goes to waste. It lays on the city streets, forgotten and unnoticed. It is a loss to the city and a gift to the gutter. However, this is not in my case.


**Disclaimer: I do not own these two wonderful pieces of art. J.K Rowling owns this magical world and characters, while Death Cab For Cutie own the song.**

**This story is not a song fic. I used these lyrics purely because they are so beautifully powerful.  
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"_**How I wish you could see the potential, the potential of you and me. It's like a book elegantly bound but, in a language that you can't read just yet"**_

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_Potential is a funny thing. It is something you can feel and long for, but not necessarily see. It is hidden in the dark and can only be uncovered if you truly try and find a light. _

_Most Potential goes to waste. It lays on the city streets, forgotten and unnoticed. It is a loss to the city and a gift to the gutter. However, this is not in my case. I see the potential flickering and glimmering out of the corner of my eye. Playing and tugging at the strings of my heart. It is in the red flecks of your hair, the soft lines of your skin, the sparkle of your emerald green eyes and the elegance in your attitude. It is the foundation of which I base my life on. Lily Evans, if it was not for our potential, I would not be the motivated, driven and slightly obsessive person I am today._

_Most people view potential as a chance to succeed or a chance to make a change. A lot of people see it as a way of making something out of nothing. I suppose most people would put me and my unrequited love under this category, but if only that was the case. Then maybe, just maybe, I could rest my weary eyes and unsettled heart._

_I know that the potential of you me is rare, but the most unlikely things can be the most striking. I'm not saying you and I will be easy. I think we all agree that we have our differences, but the beauty of this Lily, is that we have similarities which make the journey together worth the pain and struggle. Sometimes the simplest things can mean the world..._

James sighed in frustration as he looked at the letter. One word was brought to his mind as he read over it.

Hopeless.

Among many things he wondered how it was possible to condense all of your feelings, emotions and deepest thoughts, onto one delicately scented paper? For Lily, James was going to go all out, even if it did mean risking his masculinity. He sighed one last time before collecting his quill and ink. He kept his eye on the parchment, still trying to figure out how this letter would end. But to be honest, James had no idea how any of it would end. It was not unlike Lily to blatantly ignore James' somewhat feeble attempts to gain her attention.  
'No' James thought 'this time it would be different. It had to be'

He would have to leave the letter as it was. Maybe inspiration would find him during the day. He carefully folded the parchment, as if his life depended on it, and placed it neatly in his pocket. He stood up from the table and left the nearly deserted great hall for his next class.

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As he arrived he noticed the long line of students waiting along the corridor. This was not an unusual occurrence. It is one of the perils of having an old hag for a teacher. James could never understand why he had chosen muggle studies over something far more exciting, like Care of Magical creatures. But the reason, he realised, was standing opposite him with a messy red ponytail and perfect uniform. Lily Evans was staring at her book intently with an alluring smile on her face.

It was a curse he had once thought. To love someone so much, only to have them throw it back in your face. However he had come to the understanding that Lily was not a curse but merely a delicacy of sorts. However, love hate relationship was most commonly used to describe the two.

James got out his folded parchment, placed it on the wall and continued to write

_I can feel your articulating eyes staring into the back of my head, as if it is a pathway into my deepest secrets. If only you knew it is all here, on this parchment, hidden by my messy scrawl. There are so many words to say. There are so many words I feel, but cannot express, that is why I leave you with this._

_You have to spend time Lily, things do not come easily. I know you think you can never love me, but it is all there, whether you see it in the stars, in fate or in our palms. With our potential, anything can happen._

_Potentially yours, James._

He folded the parchment again, careful to follow the creases. He looked up to see Lily staring intently at him. He smiled at her. She gave him a small smile and walked into class. Finally James knew what to do.

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After class James sprinted down the hallway

"Lily" He yelled. He managed to get her attention as she turned around in confusion. She saw him and immediately looked unimpressed.

"Hey I thought I'd never catch up to you" he laughed

She smiled "Well you know me, always first in and out of class"

"Quite efficient" He noted

"Yes indeed" she agreed awkwardly. This small banter was the usual among the two. Even Lily had to agree the head girl and boy needed some form of communication, besides the usually ignoring and yelling.

He pulled his wand from his full pocket and fished inside. He retrieved a piece of neatly folded parchment and handed it to Lily

"James" She moaned in frustration "Not aga..."

"Just read it, please" He begged, sincerity in his eyes. She looked away and shrugged in agreement. This wasn't the first time Lily had agreed to James and his passionate antics and yet she had a feeling it wouldn't be the last. She shoved the parchment into her bag and headed off to her next class.

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It had now been a gruelling four weeks of what looked like the next year of their lives. It was only the start of their 7th schooling year at Hogwarts, but Lily was surprised at how slow it was going. Professor McGonagall was talking about the importance of constant vigilantes when performing spells. This is something Lily had learnt in her first year at Hogwarts. She sighed, and twirled a piece of hair around her finger. She usually sat at the front of the class but Professor McGonagall saw it fit that the meddling Marauders were situated in plain sight. James, Sirius, Remus and Peter could stir a lot of trouble when they wanted too; hence their latest seating positions.

"Oh" Lily murmured as she was reminded of the note that was buried somewhere in her bag. She had forgotten to read it a week earlier due to such heavy loads of homework and head girl duties. She rummaged through her bag to find a rather crumpled piece of parchment with the name _Lily_ scribbled across the front. It was definitely from James, only his writing could be as messy as this. It almost gave his hair a run for its money. Almost.

Lily smiled to herself and looked up to check no one was looking. Every ones heads were turned, facing the opposite direction. It seemed that not even the plain view of a teacher could stop Sirius Black, who was being severely reprimanded by Professor McGonagall.

Lily turned back and looked at the parchment. She slowly unfolded it to find a blank page with a small, roughly drawn heart neatly coloured in. Under this was the only message on the paper. It read,

**My heart, which potentially belongs to you.**

It seemed James was right. Sometimes the simplest things could mean the world.

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"**I know that you'll find love, I will possess your heart"**

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**Authors Note:  
So it has been a while, I know, but I am back now! For the record, I honestly hope you didn't all think James would actually give Lily a letter that cheese filled. He isn't that desperate, although he may seem it at times ;)**

I hope you enjoyed this story and feel free to tell me what you thought, I'm open for all opinions :)

**Song: I will possess your heart ~ Death Cab For Cutie**

**Finally Back, brighttYELLOW**


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